Golf Tips Magazine - LessonsGolf Tips Magazine RSS feedhttp://www.golftipsmag.com/instruction/putting/lessons.htmlhttp://www.golftipsmag.com/instruction/putting/lessons.htmlTue, 31 Mar 2015 14:58:58 -0700Putt better with a cleaner mind Yes, there's a hole down at the edge of the green, but I'm not trying to hole this putt. Instead, I'm working on developing better distance control by ignoring a specific target and trying to get the ball to stop just on the edge of the green where it meets the fringe. This drill works wonders for helping you determine the speed of the greens, as long as you, again, avoid focusing on a specific target. Do that, and your sense for distance will be heightened, and you'll three-putt less often.
If you think the secret to lower scores is to hit hundreds of golf balls out on the practice tee, I have news for you: It isn't. Hitting a lot of range balls might help you swing better, but it won't help you shoot lower scores nearly as much as honing in on your short game, specifically, your putting.

If you want to improve your putting, you need to get your senses involved. Putting is the simplest of all golf skills, but is possibly the easiest to complicate. There are many great putters who have several different grip styles, stroke styles and putter designs, and everyone is unique in what works. There really is no one right way to get the task done; however, great putters do have one thing in common. They connect to the right side of their brain, which is where the brilliant human supercomputer lies. They're able to sense pace, line, depth and the feel of their stroke in their body during putt preparation and during the actual stroke. Great putters truly know how to use their senses, not their thoughts, to allow their true genius to come out.

PIN THE TAIL ON THE HOLE
While how you stroke the ball is important, how you perceive your putt is equally critical to success. If you feel like a putt is longer or shorter than it really is, your chances of making it are greatly reduced.

A great drill for developing better depth perception is to address a golf ball from 30 to 40 feet. Evaluate and address the ball as you would normally. Then, just before you stroke the ball, close your eyes, stand up and pace toward the hole with your putterhead in your hand and the grip end pointing toward the green. From here, walk toward where you think the hole is, and when you get to the spot where you think it is (remember to keep your eyes closed!), stop and point at the hole with your putter.

Where did you end up? In these photos, you can see I mentally perceived the putt to be about two feet shorter than it actually is. In fact, most of my students who do this drill tend to come up short, which is why they often leave their putts short, as well!

Do the drill again until you get closer to the hole or maybe go slightly beyond it. Another reason why people come up short with this drill is that they tend to look at a putt from only the ball to the hole. For you to have a good sense of depth perception, a key to judging pace, you need to evaluate the length of the putt and also how the green moves beyond it. Look at the putting surface contours, whether it slopes off a hill or mountain. If you take a broader look at your putts, you're likely to get a better sense of how a putt will roll than you would only looking at a line between the ball and the hole.

Take it all in! The lay of the land, hills, mountains, water hazards—all these physical attributes can affect how a green is sloped.

INSTANT TIP:
Read the grain! Notice the two colors on this green? That's the grain going in two directions. Judge the grain of the green by looking closely at the blades and the direction they lay. The ball will always roll faster with the grain than against it. Same goes for break, as the grain can either reduce or accentuate the curve of a putt.

LOOKTWO WAYS

If you want to become a better putter, you have to know how to use your eyes to your advantage. Why? For the simple reason that putting has everything to do with how the ground is contoured and the speed the ball rolls on it. Full shots and even most short shots launch the ball into the air, but with putting, it's critical that you inspect the entire surface between the golf ball and the hole. To get a good look, I recommend you look at all your putts, not only from behind the hole, but from a 90-degree angle. The angle behind the hole will help you see the slope from side to side, but from 90 degrees, you'll get a better idea of the distance and elevation change of your putts.

When I read putts, I usually start at the 90-degree angle and then move back to behind the golf ball. Once I do that, I don't bother looking at the hole from any other angle, since not only does that slow me down too much, but it tends to overcomplicate things; as a result, I start overthinking it. Try this technique the next time you putt. Pick a 90-degree angle (I usually like looking from the higher side), and then get a good look from behind the ball. I know it will help.

TOSSTHE SLOPE

INSTANT TIP:
Don't get too fixated on your stroke. Whether it arcs a lot or just a little, practice becoming more result-oriented and not stroke-minded. You'll better repeat your natural stroke if you think of making good putts, not making good strokes.

USEYOUR EYES

Don't just look at the hole. Start from the ball and trace the line you want the ball to roll. Then, hold steady on the target and paint a picture in your mind of the ball rolling in!

My favorite drills to work on feel for distance have to do with using your eye-hand coordination developed by other activities and sports you've played in the past, such as baseball, basketball or bowling, for example.

Tossing and rolling the ball to the hole in your putting stance is an excellent way to feel the arm swing needed to get the right distance. Toss a few balls underhand to a few different distances until you get the feel for rolling the ball to the hole and developing a natural, free-flowing stroke motion.

The next drill will be my Heads-Up Drill, which involves looking up at the hole instead of down at the ball. You want to get the same sense of rolling the ball to the hole with a smooth arm swing rather than the common "hit and hope" stroke syndrome that I sometimes deal with on a daily basis when teaching my students. This drill gets your mind focused on the feel for the distance and on visualizing the line of the putt and your target. Another way to look at it is to think of shooting a free throw. What are your chances of making a free throw if you're looking at the ball and not the hoop? Practicing your putts while looking at the hole reinforces your ability to better control how far your golf ball rolls with strokes of varying lengths.

Now, to add this drill and exercise on course, while you're doing your practice strokes before you putt, look up at the hole feeling as if you're doing the Heads-Up Drill, visualizing and feeling the distance. Commit to the stroke, and execute! Add this to your preshot routine, and you'll definitely improve your putting.

It's okay to look at the ball while setting up, but be sure and look at the target before you make a stroke.

Hold the head in the same position until the ball stops. You'll get a good feel for how the ball rolls with strokes of different lengths.

Years ago, I played in the Heather Farr Charity for the Blind tournament in Sun City, Ariz. I played with an English gentleman who had been blind since birth. It was quite fascinating to watch him play, especially when he was preparing to hit a shot. His wife (who some would say was his 15th club) would walk him to the ball and help him set his club to the ball. He would then slide his hand down the shaft of the golf club to feel the distance from the ball. It was an amazing thing to watch, and really opened my eyes to all the tools we as golfers have to improve our feel. There are many senses we often take for granted.

While the Englishman did this routine for all his shots, he did something a little different with his putting that I think is something we all can learn from. I noticed that instead of walking him directly to the golf ball, the Englishman's wife would take him to the hole and let him walk backward toward the direction of his ball for about five or six steps, then proceed to set up to the ball. After about four holes, I asked him why he would walk backward from the hole and what this did for his putting. He explained to me that it allowed him to feel the way the green was sloped close to the hole and he could only feel it when he walked backward as it would move his body as he walked. It was amazing how close he came to the hole with his putts. He shot a 92 that day, much to do with his ability to putt!

I have not only used this method to "see" which way the ball will break to the hole for my own game, but have passed it along to many of my students. The reason why the golfer only needs to walk back about five or six steps from the hole is that the ball is slowing down at this point and will be most affected by the slope of the green then.

The next time out on the putting green, try this little exercise. Stand facing the hole, then walk backward, allowing your body to follow the slope of the green. If you feel yourself going downhill to the right, you'll know that you'll be putting uphill from left to right because you're putting in the opposite direction that you're walking. If you have a tough time seeing or feeling any slope, you can try closing your eyes. You'll begin to notice the subtle breaks and make more putts every time.

Susie Corona, LPGA, is the director of instruction at Terravita Golf and Country Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.

GREEN READING

The next time a Tour event swings through your town, do yourself a favor and go watch the players practice on a Monday or Tuesday. Be sure to watch their putting routines, how they set up over the ball and most importantly, how they read greens. You'll notice that, along with their caddies, Tour players critically scan over the green, looking for likely areas where holes will be cut. They inspect the grass and the grain and carefully read any slopes that are apparent to the eye. Once they do that, many players and caddies then take a broader approach and look at not only the green, but also the areas around the green. Often, a mound, collection area, water areas and even bunkers are hints of what direction the green slopes. For instance, if there's a water feature near a green, it's safe to assume that the green will have some slope toward that water. If there's heavy mounding on one side of the green, it's a pretty safe bet the architect is sloping the green away from those mounds to help the green drain water more effectively. In fact, look for any drains near the green, too. That's a dead giveaway for the low point of the green complex. Bunkers, too, sometimes act as shields from flooding and too much water accumulation on the greens. Point is, when you're reading greens, don't just read the putting surface. Look at the whole area—the green and all the features around it.
–Staff Report

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Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0800How to become one

The next time you play golf, I want you to count your total number of putts. Don't worry about how many putts you have per hole or how long or short they are. Just find your number. Once you have a number, I want you to divide the number of putts you made by the total number of strokes. Now, what's your percentage? I average somewhere around 35% on a good day, 50% on a bad day. You might have higher percentages, or maybe a little lower. Now, be completely honest with yourself. Do the percentages of your putts match up with the amount of time you spend practicing your putting? I'll bet you're nowhere close! Most golfers spend the majority of their time hitting woods and irons on the practice tee, when they should be devoting a lot more time to practicing their putting. And even more important than the time spent practicing your putting is using the time to practice effectively. This is what's known as practicing wisely, instead of practicing just for the sake of practicing, which sometimes can actually hurt your golf game.

In this article, I've taken a look at a handf­ul of putting elements that I think you should work on. It's the stuff that you can work on by yourself, without an instructor nearby. Just remember, the time you spend on your putting should reflect at least the percentage of your putting game in relation to your overall strokes. Now let's get started, shall we?

PICKTHE RIGHT STANCE AND STROKE

This may seem really obvious, but it's also one of the most overlooked aspects of the putting game. And I don't care what anyone has told you in the past, there's no one right way to address and stroke the golf ball. However, there are some constants I like to see with my students, but things like feet width, grip and so on are all matters of personal preference. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise!

In the photos above, I'm showing what I'd consider to be two ends of the spectrum when it comes to good putting. Starting with the left photo, I'm set up in a square position, my hands are directly over the golf ball, the ball is slightly forward of center, and my weight is slightly favoring my left side. This stance/setup position favors golfers who want an arcing stroke that naturally arcs from inside the target line on the backswing, square at impact and inside the target line on the followthrough. The key with this stroke is to remember that I mean arc relative to the target line, not the path of the putterhead. The path of the putter will naturally swing inside to inside, relative to the target line, but the clubhead should always stay square to the path on which the putterhead is traveling.

In this setup, my hands are directly over the golf ball, and my head is slightly behind the ball.

Here, my hands are ahead of the ball and my head is even further back behind the golf ball.

The other end of the spectrum is represented by the upper right photo. In it, you can see I have an open stance, and my weight is favoring more of my left side. The ball position is forward in my stance, and instead of the butt end of the putter pointing at my navel, it's more in line with my left arm. This stance/setup position is great for a stroke that moves inside the target line on the backswing and straight down the line on the followthrough.

Of these two putting stances/setups, the only thing I pay attention to is whether the position of the head and hands is too far behind the ball; I don't like the grip to look forced too low or too high on the grip, and I prefer that my students either favor their left side or, at worst, stay neutral.

I don't know if you noticed, but at this year's Memorial, Tiger putted with a hybrid of the two stances above. His upper body looked like the upper left photo, but his lower body was open to the target. Why did he do this? Probably because it felt most comfortable. And for you, that's the most important thing. Stick with a stance/setup that's most comfortable for you and that you can easily repeat.

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Tue, 10 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0700Find the right stroke for you

As an instructor, I've witnessed many different ways to play golf successfully, especially when it comes to putting. Throughout the history of golf, the art of putting has gone through numerous trends and fads. However, the fundamentals of good putting have always remained the same. No matter what style you employ, you must remember that good putting comes down to speed control and proper direction. How you choose to do it is up to you, as long as your stroke is both repeatable and comfortable. The following pages outline a few different styles to experiment with, all with the hope of helping you become a better all-around putter. Let's take a look, shall we?

When it comes to putting grips, there's really no wrong answer! Don't be afraid to try different styles if you find your current grip isn't helping you make more putts. The cross-handed grip can help if you have trouble leaving the putterface open at impact. The 10-finger grip may help add some hinge in the wrists and release some tension.

Unconventional grips like the claw grip can help remove unwanted wrist and hand motion. No matter what grip you choose, the goal of the grip is to keep the clubface square at impact. This can be achieved by having the hands placed on the club in different ways, as the above photos illustrate.

STANDARD GRIP

CROSS-HANDED

THE CLAW

10-FINGER GRIP

Remember the feel from putting comes right through your grip, you need to also be aware of grip pressure. The key is to maintain the grip pressure in both hands throughout the stroke. Just be sure that when you experiment, you stick with one style for a while. The last thing you want is to change up so often that you lose faith and confidence in your grip.

PENDULUM?

First, is a pendulum motion even necessary toward good putting? Some say yes, some say no. One thing for sure though: A pendulum-driven stroke is a great starting point. If you're having trouble decelerating on the backstroke or forwardstroke (a.k.a. "the yips"), practice making smooth, rhythmic, pendulum strokes. You can either putt with a ball or without, just remember to concentrate on an even speed and distance back and through the ball. This will help smoothen out your stroke.

There's no doubt that Adam Scott's resurgence to top form with the chest putter and Keegan Bradley's PGA Championship victory with the belly putter have stirred up more chatter regarding whether or not long-length putters pose an unfair advantage. Should the PGA Tour outlaw these alternate putting styles or let them be? Are they fair or unfair to use?

Maybe the question really is, why do so many golfers opt for a belly or chest putter in the first place? Do they know something we don't in terms of the advantage a long putter has over a standard-length flatstick? Players who come to mind are Scott, Couples, Singh, Mediate and Els, all of whom have been late adopters of belly or long putters, each with varying degrees of success. And, by the way, not all players who have demonstrated success with long putters are new to using one. Keegan Bradley has been using the belly putter since his college days at St. John's. With that said, what gives? Why are belly and long putters more popular today than ever?

There are a few reasons why these longer putters work more efficiently than short putters, but the main reason so many players make the switch has little to do with mechanics of a long putter versus that of a regular putter. The reality is that most (not all) of the players on Tour who go to this style of putter do so because they have inherited some form of the yips. A perfect example of this is Bernhard Langer. It's well documented that Langer's affliction with this ailment occurred at a young age, and he wouldn't have had the career he has had without the use of the chest putter.

HOW DO THE YIPS WORK?
This problem afflicts many golfers, and some don't even know they have it. A putting yip is an uncontrollable, unconscious movement with one hand or both hands, usually occurring just before impact. It has to deal with neuro pathways in the mind, and the resulting effect is a putting stroke that produces uncontrollable results. In other words, having the yips is a lot like putting with a nervous mind. When you're nervous, you shake and tremble, making it difficult to make a smooth, accelerating stroke through the ball. With the yips, virtually the same thing happens, although sometimes it's extremely subtle, and the mind isn't aware of the body making small, nervous-like movements through the stroke. And when it comes to putting, even subtle variations in your putting stroke can make the difference between making and missing any given putt.

When a player goes to an alternative grip such as the claw or pencil grip or to a belly or chest putter, the pathway from the brain to the yip hand is re-created. It's literally a rewiring of the brain, and in almost every case, the yip goes away—sometimes forever and sometimes just for a few months. Regardless, the player is able to perform better on the greens, thus making more putts and shooting lower scores.

Now, aside from the yips, if you were to evaluate the sheer mechanics of a long or belly-length putter, you'd see that the belly and chest putter simplify the putting stroke. With both methods, the butt of the grip is anchored against your body, thus taking the hinging of the wrists and hands virtually out of play. Also, with no wrist or hand involvement in the stroke, the putter tends to bottom out at a similar point, as well. The result, in most cases, is more consistency and a stroke that, for some, is easy to repeat.

Arms and putter shaft line up on same plane nicely.Make sure your eyes stay over the ball. It's easy to get your eyes too far inside the ball because of the length of the putter.

Use any right-hand grip that feels comfortable.

Left forearm (for a right-handed player) is parallel to the intended target line.

IS IT REALLY AN ADVANTAGE TO USE A BELLY OR A CHEST PUTTER?For some golfers, absolutely! If you struggle with the yips or making a consistent stroke, then yes, a long-length putter may, in fact, help. But like any other club, a belly or chest putter isn't right for everyone. Some who have tried belly or chest putters have said distance and speed control are more difficult on short putts, while others have said that longer putters are more difficult to aim. In any case, putting is truly the most individual aspect of playing golf, and choosing the best putter for your game, no matter what length it is, should be your top priority. And as for an unfair advantage, hardly! Every player can use a belly or long putter if he or she wants. There's nothing unfair about that, and frankly, you can make a similar argument about golfers who use certain drivers, shafts, iron designs, wedges and so forth, all claiming that different characteristics of those clubs have performance benefits over another. The goal, in any case, is to get the ball in the hole in the fewest strokes, so use whatever club you think will get the job done.

If you feel like you might have the yips, the good news is it's treatable. You just have to identify which hand you have it in and then reformat your grip with that hand on the putter grip. And by the way, this doesn't always mean switching to a longer putter. Sometimes simple changes in grip positions and stance will help you refresh your putting technique.
John Stahlschmidt, PGA, teaches at the Tour Academy located at the TPC of Scottsdale in Arizona. For more information, email John at johnst@touracademy.com.

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Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800If you want to be a complete golfer, you have to become a masterful putter

TO PARAPHRASE BEN HOGAN, golf is two games, the full swing and putting. For the layman, watching these two parts of the game, one would think that putting would probably be the easiest to master, and yet so many people—from Tour pro to amateur—struggle with it. Why? Well, for one thing, a putting stroke may look very simple, but there's a lot that can go wrong. For another, the game's great putters have used many different styles. Consider that Bobby Locke used to "hook" his putts, Jack Nicklaus looked like he "willed" the ball into the hole from his famous crouch, Ben Crenshaw stood very tall to develop his silky style, and just recently, Adam Scott used a long putter to help take his game to a new level. Just holding a flatstick poses a myriad of questions: Do you use a standard grip, a cross-handed one or the claw? Do you swing straight back and through or on an arc? Do you use a mallet or blade? Short, mid or long putter? The options go on and on. As students of mine can attest, it can all feel a bit overwhelming.

With that in mind, I've compiled nine tips that will help you separate what you do need from what you don't. But before you read any further, I want you to consider three things about your current putting pattern. Do you make solid contact? If not, you'll have to change your technique. Do you miss consistently to the left or right of the target? If your misses have typical divergent patterns, you must look at your technique to see if your aiming is flawed or the stroke is producing an off-line result. And finally, if distance control is an issue, you have to work on drills that can solve the problem.

Now, once you've answered those questions, read on and start integrating my tips into your practice sessions. I hope you see your scores fall.

1 READ THE GREENS
It's virtually impossible to sink a putt if you don't know which way it's going to break. To give yourself the best chance of making more putts, you have to learn how to read the greens. I do it in two different ways. First, I look more at the direct line of the putt. Does the cup look like it's tilting one way or the other? Is there any slope directly between me and the hole? How long is my putt? Answering these questions gives you the first bit of information you need. But also look at the general area around the green complex. Is there a nearby hill or mountain that might influence the putt's shape? Is there a lake or lowland area like a drain where water would run to? If so, it'll probably influence the putt's break.

All this information is vital so you can "guess" correctly on your read. Taking a quick look at your ball and the hole just won't cut it. Instead, look around to see what the general lay of the land is and use it to help you make more putts!

2 PUTT POINTS
Great putters control their distance well and make just about everything inside five feet. Although I teach my students to try to make every putt, different lengths require adjustments in one's thought process.

From within five feet, I make a very specific read of the putt and then hit the putt on that line with the proper pace. On putts that measure five feet, I focus more on the putt's line, with speed control a very close second, as speed always determines how you hit the putt.
From 15 feet away, I want to make a putt that both has perfect speed and is well read. I focus equally on the line and the appropriate-length stroke. If it doesn't go in, however, I want an easy follow-up putt, so make sure you get your speed right.

From over 30 feet away, I still want to make the putt, but I focus first on speed control and then on line. I want to make sure I'm comfortable with controlling my distance so I don't make a mistake that leaves me with a tough next putt. I'm certainly paying attention to the break, but distance control is the most important ingredient for these putts.Read More...]]>http://www.golftipsmag.com/instruction/putting/lessons/the-other-game.html
Tue, 31 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700Drain It From Everywhere

When it comes to putting, personal preference almost always wins. It’s safe to assume there’s more than one way to become a successful putter, since so much of being a better putter has to do with finding a style and stroke that’s comfortable for you. If you’re comfortable, you’ll be more confident; and if you’re confident, it’s more likely you’ll make a better stroke through the ball. But, there remain some absolutes that I think are critical for better putting that everybody should work into their game. These are the kinds of things that, no matter what type of putting stroke you have, ought to be ingrained into your putting routine. Let’s take a look at a few, and learn how you can work these absolutes into your game to become a better putter.

Rehearse The Break

If you’re faced with a breaking putt, it’s imperative that you rehearse in your mind the impending path that the ball will need to roll on to make the putt. In this photo, as I set up, I’m still visualizing not only the hole, but also the path. If I were to focus only on the target, which in this case is the hole, I’d likely lose sight of the break and, as most amateurs do, not play for enough curve. Also, for example, when you play a breaking putt, remember that a breaking putt is always longer in length than the actual distance between you and the hole. Meaning, even if I’m only 10 feet away on a given putt, the ball might actually have to travel 12 feet on a curve to reach the hole. Hence, when playing the breaks, rehearse your stroke for the length of the putt with the break, not the length you are from the hole.

The Hands Matter

How you hold the putter affects how you stroke the putt. I like to see golfers use their hands together as a unit, since it both helps to get the hands working together in unison and prevents one from dominating the other. A quick tip to remember to keep the hands together is to make sure you can only see the top of one thumb (your lower hand) when you make your grip. I prefer to grip more in the fingers than the palms, but it really comes down to personal preference. Nevertheless, if you’re sticking with a traditional grip or even a left-hand low grip, make sure the hands are together as a unit.

The reverse overlap is a great grip. It may not seem like such a big deal to extend the index finger over the upper hand, but what that actually does is help prevent the breakdown of the wrists through the stroke. Give it a try.

If that doesn’t feel right to you, keep the index finger wrapped around the grip, but again, it should overlap the pinky of your upper (right) hand. The hands don’t need to act as a quick-release power source, so anything you can do to inhibit excessive hinging through the stroke can and will help.

The Forward Press

What you don’t want to do when you make the forward press, is rotate the putterface open. Instead, make a forward press and keep the clubface square. And don’t worry if it looks as though you have excessively delofted the putter. At impact, the putter will be square and upright.

Phil Mickelson won The Masters this year by putting with a forward press. Like him, I’m a big believer in this motion since it helps get the stroke in motion before there’s any significant motion in the putterhead. This translates into a smoother takeaway and delivery into the ball on the forwardstroke. It also helps ensure you make contact with the hands either over or slightly in front of the ball, resulting in a truer, faster, end-over-end roll. To do a proper forward press, simply adjust the wrists toward the target a few inches before you start your backswing. Think of it as the first step, when you set the hands forward, and then the arms and shoulder take over and lead the stroke. Once you do that, make a normal putting stroke. You’ll quickly see that a forward press adds some length to your backswing, so don’t be surprised if, at first, a few putts roll past the hole.

I’ve seen so many different approaches to golf instruction that some things have come full circle. For every instructor who says keep your head down, another says let it turn. For every pro who has told his or her students to keep their left arm straight, I’ve heard others (including me) argue that it’s better to allow your arm to naturally bend at the top of your swing. Contradictions are everywhere, especially when it comes to golf instruction.

The question is, who should you listen to? Who’s right, and who isn’t? Well, I’m here to explain some of what I consider to be the most common swing myths, many of which have been wrongfully taught for decades by both golf instructors and amateurs alike.

I’m willing to bet you’ve already heard of a few of these, which is why I’m presenting not only the myth but also the fix. Read on and get ready to eliminate swing myths from your golf game and get your game back on track.

Myth #1: Keep your head down

Who hasn’t heard of this one? Keeping your head down at any point during the golf swing is the last thing you want to do. By keeping your head down (see photo to the left), you stifle your upper body’s ability to rotate. A hindered rotation means my hands will get flippy; my weight will either shift too little, too late or not at all; and furthermore, any chance of solid impact will lessen significantly.

In addition to hurting my ability to hit solid shots, keeping your head down can actually hurt you, physically. It puts a tremendous amount of stress on your neck.

Let your head move

Here’s the right way to do it. See how more of my face is visible under my hat? My head is up, and my neck is in line with the rest of my spine. This enables me to rotate without my head getting in the way. Also, by keeping my head up (and my eyes on the ball, of course), I retain my spine angle better than I do with my head tucked down. Look at the difference in body rotation, arm extension and weight shift. All three factors are directly attributed to keeping my head out of the way.
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Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800(and how you can)

One of the great things about the game of golf is that, on occasion, all of us, even the highest handicapper, will hit a shot like a pro. It might be a well-struck drive, hitting a par-5 in two or holing out a bunker shot. Whatever the case, once in a while, the stars align, and for a brief moment, we pull off a Tour-quality shot.

Having been around Tour pros for many years, I can tell you that one thing is certain, however: There are things they consistently do on the golf course that you and I can’t. That’s why they’re the game’s greatest.

And yet, of course, you’re an expert in your respective field. Whether you’re a doctor, a chef or a real estate agent, in your work, you’re a “Tour pro.” There are things you know that most of us don’t.

Like you, Tour pros are good at their jobs, and there are shots they hit that we can’t always pull off when we play. That’s reality. But let’s look at what they do well and try to learn from them so we can improve our games.

...hit it 300 yards on a rope consistently

To crush it, you must use all your power sources (correct wrist action, a controlled arm swing and a full body pivot) effectively.

Start your downswing by uncoiling your lower body first so your club swings around your body “on plane.” This will help you hit it in the center of the clubface and help you square the club at impact.

...control your distance with all clubs

Tour pros know not only how far they hit each of their clubs, but also the distance gaps between them. The key, though, is how they fill the gaps between each club: by adjusting the length and speed of their swings. This ability to dial in shots helps Tour players make tons of birdies.

To shrink your distance gaps, work on making half and three-quarter swings. You’ll find that the distances the ball travels and the trajectory you have with different-length swings will help you control your distances much better.
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Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800(You've Never Heard)

If you’ve ever received a lesson, or better yet, a series of lessons, it’s likely you’ve been told to do the same thing more than once. Golf instruction is often plagued with repetition, which, if you’re an astute student of the game, you’d know is a necessary directive for helping you improve. But it also can be a bit tedious to be told the same thing over and over. So instead of doing that, I’ve put together 10 of my favorite, lesser-known swing tips that will break you free from the monotony of typical golf instruction and help you not only lower you scores, but also have a whole lot more fun in the process. Turn the page and get started on improving your game, the atypical way.

1. HIT THE DRIVER FROM THE BUNKER
It’s not uncommon to see PGA Tour players occasionally hitting the driver off the fairway, but what would you say if I said it was possible to hit the driver from the bunker? You can!

The key here is to hit on the lower portion of the face. As shown by the top photo, hitting lower on the face will generate more backspin, helping the ball to lift higher and quicker. If you catch the ball more in the middle (lower photo), the ball is likely to travel on a lower trajectory out of the bunker.

Hitting a driver from the sand is actually doable, so long as you follow a few simple guidelines. First, the ball needs to be sitting up on a clean lie. Second, the sand should be on the firmer side. Third, it helps to have a slight uphill lie. And fourth, make sure there isn’t a big lip between the ball and the target.

If your shot passes those four variables, here’s what else you need to know. Play the ball as you normally would, with the ball positioned forward in your stance. As for your swing, try not to swing at 100 percent; instead swing as hard as you can without your feet sliding around. Finally, unlike your normal driver swing, which requires you to shift your weight forward, it’s okay to hang back a little and let the club swing out in front of you. Hitting it fat isn’t likely, mainly because the driver has such a flat, wide sole, making it easier to slide across and bounce off the sand instead of digging down into it.
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Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800Which one are you?

EIGHTY-FIVE PERCENT OF THE INFORMATION people take in is visual. That is,what we see is most of what we know. Consider the last movie you saw. I bet you remember more of what you saw than the dialogue you heard. The same goes for golf. What you see on the golf course is often what you get. (If you’ve ever fixated on a water hazard only to hit your ball in it, you know what I mean.)

The only thing that the “mechanical putter” sees when he putts is his stroke:whether it arcs or moves straight back and through, and if it accelerates or decelerates. Because he’s a purely technical putter, he’s unaware of his target and loses all sense of distance, direction and speed. For these reasons, he’s the least successful putter of the group.

WHAT HE SEES

Because our images are so important, it’s vital that we have positive ones. Over the next eight pages, I’ll show you how to apply “visualization” techniques to your putting. I’ll identify the five different ways people putt and tell you what they see and how they practice (even if one method shouldn’t be emulated).

I’m sure you’ll recognize your putting method in these photos, and I suggest, if you’re not satisfied with your current routine, to work your way up to the most successful type of putter.What type of putter is that, you ask? Read on to find out.
1.THE MECHANICAL PUTTERHOW TO PRACTICE IT
Because the mechanical putter is “stroke-focused,” he likes to use either a training aid to help him groove an arcing, on-plane stroke, or a flag stick (shown here) to ensure his stroke stays straight. I don’t recommend you practice like this or become a mechanical putter, because it makes you ignore your putt’s distance, speed and direction. (Speed is the most important part of putting.) If you’re a mechanical putter, I suggest you stop putting this way and read on! There’s a lot to learn from the other four types of putters.

HOW TO PRACTICE IT

WHAT HE SEES

2.THE SPOT PUTTER
When the “spot putter” reads his putt, he identifies a spot (a spike mark, discoloration of the green or old ball mark) and hits his ball toward it. Spot putters tend to be nonvisual in nature and use the spot to determine how far and in what direction they should putt the ball.

HOW TO PRACTICE IT

(Note here that I’m aiming at a spot just beyond the hole. That not only gives me an aiming point, but, because it’s beyond the hole, also gives me pretty decent speed. After all, I don’t want to leave any putt short.) The better my visual image of the spot as I stroke the putt, the better my speed will be.

Place three tees at three different distances from you. (It may be hard to see in the picture at right, but I’ve placed them 10, 20 and 30 feet away.) Aim each putt toward a tee. Then, as you make your stroke, picture the corresponding tee in your mind’s eye.

With enough practice, you should “see” the tee (and, hence, remember where and how far away it is) when you look at the ball. This will help you retain your target, and gauge the correct distance, too.
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Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800The top 5 mistakes you should avoid in your putting game

#1 You Have No Routine If you look at any great player, he or she has a routine for every shot. And when it comes to putting, better players know that sticking to a routine is necessary for making consistent strokes. Now, what kind of routine should you have? That’s up to you. Just try and incorporate what I’m doing here, which is looking at the putt from behind the ball, about halfway down the putting line and one more look from behind the hole. This helps to get a clear picture of the slope and speed. All that’s left here is for me to make a couple practice strokes and hit the ball. Just remember, this is my routine because it happens to work well for me. Consider trying your own practice routine, and experiment with looking at the putt from different angles, making practice strokes from behind the hole or even counting your steps to get a numeric value in your head as far as distance is concerned. No matter what routine you develop, the most important aspects are don’t waste too much time (the routine should take a minute or two) and always be sure to do it before every putt. Make your routine, routine!

#2 You Practice The Wrong Putts When I watch the practice putting green, I can’t tell you how often I see people practicing the wrong putts. And although practicing 45-footers may be fun, you’re not likely to have many of them during your round. Odds are, the vast majority of your putts will be from 15 feet and in. So, start with a 15-foot putt and work your way in toward the hole. To test yourself, see if you can make three in a row from each length. Finally, if time permits, go ahead and roll that 45-footer if you’d like. But don’t be surprised if you never have to putt one that length the entire day.

#3 You Have One Style Has your putting proficiency vanished? If so, no worries. It happens to all of us once in a while. The key is getting your confidence back, and one way to do it is to try a new grip. New grip styles help take the focus off your actual stroke and sometimes can actually help rid your stroke of the dangerous “yips.” Most of all, don’t be fooled by what others may tell you. No matter how odd your new putting grip may look, if it works, then stick with it!

#4 You Are Too Tense A general rule of thumb in golf is, if you’re tense when you hit a shot, you’re going to get even more tense when you see the results. The same goes for putting. If your arms and hands are tense, and you’re virtually choking the putter, you’ll become ineffective at making a smooth, steady stroke into the ball. To release some tension, take a few practice strokes and really concentrate on feeling the weight of the clubhead, and attempt to lag it behind the ball on the forwardstroke. Th is will promote better speed and directional control and will significantly increase your feel.

#5 You Don’t Aim It If your putter and golf ball have alignment aids, don’t be afraid to use them! Confirming your aim helps you focus more on the stroke and leads to more solid putts. Just remember to align the mark from behind the ball, and make sure it’s aiming at either the hole or where you want the ball to initially start rolling. Taking advantage of any alignment aid will only increase your chances of holing putts.

Jay Larscheid, PGA, is director of golf at Longbow Golf Club in Mesa, Ariz. For info, visit longbowgolf.com

Buddy Drill Why do people get the yips? From a lack of confidence they feel after missing short putts and from anticipating poor impact. In my first drill, simply make some smooth pendulum stokes with your eyes closed. Then, as you make your stroke, count out a simple rhythm “1-2,” “1-2,” etc. Once you feel a good flow, have a buddy, at his discretion, place a ball in the path of your putterhead. Not knowing when it’s coming eliminates flinching and the yips.

A Change Of Style Right now, your brain is wired to putt in its current adopted technique, most likely the common “reverse-overlap grip” in which the index finger of your weak hand overlaps your dominant hand. While that grip is used by many golfers, it’s important to remember that small hand muscles are particularly vulnerable when you’re nervous and will, thereby, promote the yips. Try to short circuit the fouled up system by radically changing your gripping technique. Look at the images (left) and pick out your new grip today!

Create A Putting Ritual If you’ve ever watched a basketball player get ready to shoot a free throw, you’ve seen him go through a set of movements to help stay relaxed and rhythmic. He may, for example, bounce the ball twice, flex his knees, set his wrists and then shoot. If you say or make those movements to a beat, it might come out like this: “Bounce, Bounce, Flex, Set, Shoot.” If you repeat this sequence in the form of a basic beat, it might sound like this: Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom. Just like the beat of a drum. Basketball isn’t the only sport in which you create rhythm. The next time you’re on the putting green, develop a ritual. Start by lifting your right thumb off of the putter grip. Now, begin your ritual by placing the thumb back on the grip. We’ll call this “Tap.” Then rotate your head to look at the hole. Follow this by turning your head back to the ball. Swing back, and then swing through.

Get Some Exercise In many cases, golfers who suffer from the yips stab at the ball with a short, choppy stroke. Motions like that yield any number of ugly results. To get the feel of putting beyond impact, try this “isometric” exercise. Have a buddy place some gentle, but constant pressure with his hand against the face of your putter. Then make five strokes, making sure you swing the putter into the followthrough at least as far as your backswing. Then have your buddy step aside and roll two or three putts. I guarantee you’ll feel an immediate “freeing” feeling and significantly more acceleration.

Build A Bridge Hole? What hole? To help eliminate the pressure of outcomes, practice with a scorecard over the hole. Practice putting from three to five feet away, trying only to roll the ball over the card. If you’re making a good, aggressive stroke, the ball should come to rest about two feet past the cup. After you’re done, remove the card and pick a spot just beyond the hole on your intended line. Then roll the ball with confidence on your line and simply let the hole get in the way. You’ll never leave it short again!

Use Your Belly One of the best cures for the yips is the long putter because it gives you the true feel of a free swinging pendulum and eliminates the “handsy” hits that cause jerky, inconsistent putts. However, I think a more palatable option for most players is the shorter and easier-to-control “Belly Putter.” Simply anchor the putter to a comfortable point on your midsection and swing away. If you like, add a little “1-2” count to your stroke to promote a smooth rhythm. You’ll find that this pendulum stroke reduces the amount of smaller muscle movement and keeps the blade on plane.

An Egg In The Hand An egg in the hand is worthÂ…hmm, maybe that’s something else. Regardless, a soft and constant grip pressure is a vital ingredient to maintaining a smooth flowing stroke. For those who think they’ve got a mess-free stroke, grab an uncooked egg and head outside (or your better half might kill you!). Once you’ve gotten to a place you don’t mind messing up a bit, hold it in your right hand and pin it between your right index finger and the shaft. Now drop a few balls and stroke some putts, keeping the pressure soft and constant. If you grip it too hard, you’ll know soon enough.

Jeff Ritter is the Director of Instruction at the ASU Karsten Golf Academy in Tempe, Ariz. To learn more about his teaching and to read some of his other tips, visit www.jeffrittergolf.com.

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Wed, 18 Jul 2007 09:44:48 -0700 Unlike the golf swing, there are almost no centrifugal forces at work in the putting stroke. Therefore, whatever you do at address pretty much determines what you’ll do with the putter during the stroke. In studying the best players on Tour, it’s easy to find common denominators in both their setup positions and strokes. Obviously, there are exceptions to every rule, but for the most part, common traits run rampant in the setup positions of great putters. Specifically, they establish four key setup lines.

1. The first line runs from the eyes to the inside edge of the golf ball. When the eyes are in alignment over the inside edge of the golf ball, the player is better able to line up the putter to his or her target and visually track the line on which the ball will travel.

2. The second line runs from the shoulders straight down through the arms and hands. When the hands and arms are in alignment under the shoulders, the player can swing them back and through naturally, creating the optimal putterhead path.

3. The third line bisects the center of the hips and the heels. The proper alignment of the hips and heels creates balance and stability during the stroke. When a player is centered, stable and in balance, he or she can attain consistent, solid contact.

4. The fourth line is drawn from the puttershaft through the inside edge of the forearms. This line is achieved by placing the grip of the putter more through the palms than in the fingers. By aligning the shaft and the forearms, a single lever is created, resulting in optimal control during the stroke.

Flatten It Out Establishing and maintaining a flat left wrist throughout the putting stroke is the key to rolling the ball consistently. For one, it keeps the left wrist from rotating, and if the wrist doesn’t rotate, the putterface can’t open or close. One thing you can do to encourage a flat left wrist in your putting stroke is to use a shorter putter (33 inches should do the trick). This will allow your left arm (and everything attached) to hang straight from the shoulder. Also, position the ball off the front foot. This will flatten the left wrist and help line it up with the outside of the left shoulder.

The secret to consistently putting well is to match your posture to your stroke type. However, the conventional wisdom applied by most recreational golfers is that while putting, anything goes (witness the claw grip, the left-hand low technique and the belly-anchored stroke). And while many a Tour victory has been fueled by an unorthodox method, one fundamental shouldnt be ignored: How you stand to the ball conditions how you stroke it.

Shoulder Stroke
When putting, your shoulders work perpendicularly to your spine. Thus, if your putting posture is upright, your shoulders move more around rather than up and down. This merry-go-round action opens the putterface during the backswing, then squares it up coming to the ball (sans any excess manipulations). This is a very effective way to putt, as the exploits of golfers such as Ben Crenshaw and Greg Norman suggest.

Other great putters, such as Jack Nicklaus and Dave Stockton, favor a much more bent posture at address, with the spine tilted and the chest pointed toward the ground. In this posture, the shoulders, working at right angles to the spine, move more up and down than around. During the backstroke, the front shoulder moves down while the back shoulder rocks up. This teeter-totter motion is reversed during the forward stroke. With such a stroke, the face remains square to the intended line of roll from beginning to end.

The conclusion you should draw from the above is that if you feel comfortable standing upright over the ball (as many bad backers prefer), then dont try to keep the putterface pointed at the target throughout the stroke. To match your posture and your stroke, allow the putterface to rotate with your shoulders.

If you choose a bent posture, then the pendulum stroke is the correct match. Allow the putter to follow the up-and-down action of the shoulders and remain square to the line.

This seems a simple proposition: Upright posture plus a horizontal shoulder turn equals an open-to-square stroke; bent posture plus a vertical shoulder turn equals a square-to-square stroke. However, without the proper attention to what youre doing, its oh-so-easy to drift into mismatch.

Drifting Into Mismatch
If your posture is too upright for your square-to-square action, it will force you to pick up the putter in an attempt to keep the face from opening. The tendency with this mismatch is to pull the putt. Yank enough of them and youll start cutting your putts to keep them online, a correction that imparts sidespin on the ball and significantly increases the chances of developing lip-rosy. If youre starting to endure more than your share of lip-outs, its a signal that you need to get back into the state of match by either bending more from your hips, or keeping your upright posture and allowing the putter to open on the backstroke.

If you choose to change your stroke, make sure you do it correctly. Remember, the putterface opens not by conscious manipulation of the hands or arms (the death knell of any stroke), but by naturally moving the putterhead slightly to the inside of the target line during the backstroke. The face will return to square on the forward stroke as it retraces its inside route back to the golf ball.

If your posture is too bent over for your open-to-square stroke, youve created a mismatch that will force the putterface open at impact, resulting in a push. If youre pushing and/or jerking your putts, its a sign that your posture and your stroke dont match. The solution is simple—either straighten up and keep your open-to-square stroke pattern, or stay bent and go square-to-square.

PGA professional and Senior Instruction Editor Dr. T.J. Tomasi is the director of instruction at Lyman Orchards GC in Middlefield, Conn. Hes recognized as one of the top 100 teachers in America.

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Fri, 16 Feb 2007 16:16:17 -0800Nine easy ways to lower your score
A quiet body, a ball at rest, a short back-and-forth motion—how could
something so simple cause so many headaches? Its a question that
occupies the minds of touring professionals and weekend warriors alike.
Wouldnt it be great if putting was as simple as it sounds, where every
round was as automatic as the clinic Aaron Baddeley put on at Harbour
Town this year (97 putts over 72 holes)? Jeff Ritter, director of
instruction at the ASU Karsten Golf Academy in Tempe, Ariz., believes
putting isnt complicated. And to help solve your putting woes, he has
put together his No-Frills Putting Drills—nine straightforward,
no-nonsense exercises intended to be practiced on your own, without the
aid of an instructor. Practice these drills and, before you know it,
youll actually look forward to working with the flatstick.

1 Metronome
Have you ever noticed how smooth a touring pros putting tempo is? Its
as if his or her stroke was a pendulum swinging back and
forth—rhythmic, free-flowing and uncomplicated. This kind of uniform
movement eliminates any herky-jerky motions that might adversely
affect a putts length and direction.

A great way to develop Tour-quality rhythm and tempo is to practice
with a metronome. Simply place the metronome on the ground and time
your stroke so it matches its tick-tock sound. On the tick, your
putter should be at the end of your backswing, and on the tock, it should
be at the end of your followthrough.

A metronome has adjustable speeds, a feature that makes finding the
appropriate tempo a snap. Once you find the speed that matches your
natural stroke, continue to practice matching your tempo to the
metronome until you can consistently reproduce it.

The next time you play, I suggest grooving your tempo while making a
practice stroke. Its easy. Just repeat to yourself, tick-tock, as
you putt. When you step up to the ball, your rhythm will be right for
the putt at hand.

2 One-Hander
Some players like to feel as though one of their hands is guiding the
stroke through impact. For example, Tiger Woods wants his dominant
right hand to control the stroke, so he frequently practices with only
that hand on the handle. Whatever your preference, practicing with just
one hand is a great way to unlock the feel and flow of a pure putting
stroke.

Hold the putter with one hand only and make a stroke. At first, the
sensation of a one-handed motion might feel unusual, but as you
practice, youll find its actually fairly natural. As you practice
from a variety of distances, dont be afraid to put a little wrist
action into your stroke, as it promotes a true roll. Also, allow
yourself to be loose—a tension-free stroke usually produces the best
results.

Remember, a natural wrist cock is common in every ball sport, whether
the motion is hitting, swinging or throwing. Its no different with
putting. Rigid wrists make it very difficult to develop the desired
soft touch needed on the putting green.

3 On Track
If you tend to push or pull your putts, your clubface or putter path is
probably going to be off line at impact. Misaligned putterfaces cause
your putts to veer off line by many feet, so keeping your clubface
square at impact is paramount.

To keep your putts on line, practice this simple flagstick drill. Place
your putter on top of a flagstick so its alignment aid (the hash mark
on top of the putterhead) is centered with the flagstick. Although its
okay to have a little arc in your stroke, try to keep your blade as
square as possible. Practice this motion for 30 seconds or so and then
move your putter off the flagstick and onto the green, where you can
actually stroke some putts. Try to re-create the square stroke you were
making on the flagstick as you practice, and continue to alternate
between this drill and stroking putts.

4 Speed Reader
If you play a lot of different golf courses, you know that green speeds
can vary widely from day to day and course to course. Obviously, it can
be extremely frustrating when youre not accustomed to the speed of new
greens, particularly if theyre significantly different than those on
the course you last played. A very effective but simple technique to
combat this problem is to exaggerate your practice stroke. In other
words, if youre playing greens that are significantly slower than
youre used to, take your practice stroke from a greater distance than
your actual putt. This will force you to ingrain the feel of a longer,
more powerful stroke. On greens that are faster than normal, take your
practice stroke from a spot closer to the hole than your actual putt.
Then simply go back to your ball and use that same sensation to make
your stroke.

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Fri, 16 Feb 2007 16:02:46 -0800A tried-and-true method for becoming a lights-out putter For most golfers, finding time to practice putting is difficult. In fact, it’s no easy task to find time to improve in any area of the game. Therefore, it’s essential that players not only create practice opportunities whenever they can, but also budget practice time to maximize effectiveness and create better habits.

For putting practice, I recommend the following routine, which places an emphasis on the most important aspects of becoming a good putter. This practice schedule is simple to follow and doesn’t require a lot of time (an hour to be exact). So the next time you face difficult, lightning-fast greens, such as those featured here on Kiawah Island, you’ll be prepared to hole more putts and post your best scores ever.

Green Reading (5 Minutes) In order to get aligned correctly, a player must know where he or she is trying to aim, then get the putterface and body in the proper positions. Start each practice session by practicing green reading. Here are some keys to learning to read greens.

- Survey the lay of the land and the general terrain before you reach the green. Look for high and low areas and sense the basic slope of the surrounding area. - The lower you can get on the putting surface to view these characteristics, the better. - In choosing your line, first determine the speed, then choose an aiming line. When in doubt, choose a minimum speed with a maximum amount of break.

After judging the contours of the green and hitting the putt, compare your read to the way the ball actually behaved. For a badly misread putt, stop and take a moment and see what was missed in assessing the slope.A good habit to get into is to align the logo of the ball (or a straight-line marking) along the intended aiming line. This will take the guesswork out of alignment and make it easier to diagnose any mechanics problems.

Putting Mechanics (25 Minutes) The goal of a good putting stroke is to consistently strike the ball solidly in the direction the putter is aligned with the proper pace. This is the essence of putting and, accordingly, this will be the biggest part of your putting hour. Concentrate on five main areas.

1) Setup And Alignment: With the logo on your golf ball aligned at the proper aiming point, it should be easy to set the putterface to this line. Often, it’s helpful to have a putter with lines or marks to help visualize the alignment. Make sure your arms are hanging freely, that your eyes are over or slightly inside the ball/target line and, most importantly, that your shoulders are square to the target. I use a small mirror to check my alignment and eye position.

2) Stroke Length: Place a piece of tape on a yardstick at the 18-inch mark (center). Then, place tape every four inches from this center mark. Address the center mark and make strokes to the first piece of tape on the backstroke and the corresponding piece of tape on the forwardstroke. Incorporate this length with the good rhythm from the metronome drill (see #5). Next, place a ball adjacent to the center mark and make your four-inch backstroke and four-inch throughstroke with good rhythm. Hit several putts, then average the distance they travel. Repeat at different length strokes and soon you’ll have a good understanding of how long a stroke is required in any situation.

3) Body Stability: During the putting motion, it’s imperative that the body remain very still. Any motion will cause your putter path to be inconsistent, which makes solid contact almost impossible. My favorite thought is to imagine a small coin under the ball at address. After my stroke, I don’t look up until I can identify the denomination—usually, this takes a count of one. Keeping your eyes focused on the impact area will greatly limit any tendency to move the body.

Here's the weird thing about the game of golf. As you get better and your handicap goes down, it actually becomes more difficult to cut strokes from your score. I can usually help a high-handicapper improve pretty quickly, but the better my students get, the tougher it is to whittle strokes off their scores.

I'm not saying it's impossible, though, quite the contrary. If you want to make a dent in your scores and shoot lower numbers, it's imperative you work on your putting abilities. In the next few pages, I've outlined five different ways you can drop strokes by improving your performance on the putting green. Just remember, these tips aren't designed to produce easy, immediate results. And no matter what, you're probably going to miss more putts than you make. But with diligence, patience and determination, these tips will help you drain more putts and drop strokes from your scores.

1 GET BEHINDTHE BALL

When you're assessing your putts, always do so from behind the ball and track where you think the ball will roll with your eyes. Don't just stare at the cup; look at the entire length the ball will roll. Do this for long and short putts alike.

If you practice from the side like this, you won't see all the break and your distance perception will suffer. I see this error a lot, and often my students are looking at the cup and nothing else as they make practice strokes.

If you have a breaking putt (I placed a tee for you to see the apex of this short putt), consider evaluating the putt from behind the apex, not the hole. The apex is your aim point anyway, so you may as well get the true picture of the break.

If I look at this breaking putt from behind the hole, my mind's eye won't know where to aim when I set up over the ball. It's always better to get behind the point where you're aiming (the tee) and align to it rather than get crisscrossed.

Finally, whether you're facing straight or breaking putts, always look up as you make your practice strokes. Get your eyes off your putter, and start sensing the motion, length and tempo of your putting stroke.

Don't develop the habit of watching your putter move back and forth! You'll do the same when you actually putt a ball, and rarely will you produce good results. Get your eyes on the line as you get ready, then on the ball when you execute the putt.